EU has called on Azerbaijan to take measures to ensure freedom, and security of movement in the Lachin corridor - Borrell

Since the beginning of December 2022, the EU has been closely following the developments along and around the Lachin Corridor and their humanitarian implications. High Representative/Vice-President Borrell is in regular contact with the Foreign Ministers of both sides. EU Special Representative Klaar also remains in close contact with both sides, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell said in response to an inquiry from Member of the European Parliament Assita Kanko.

“Since the beginning of December 2022, the EU has been closely following the developments along and around the Lachin Corridor and their humanitarian implications.

High Representative/Vice-President Borrell is in regular contact with the Foreign Ministers of both sides. EU Special Representative Klaar also remains in close contact with both sides.

The EU observation mission is an opportunity to minimize new battles - International Crisis Group

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group Research Center published a report entitled "Averting a New War between Armenia and Azerbaijan". The report warns of the high probability of a new conflict and presents recommendations on what should be done to prevent it.

In mid-2022, the EU and the US suggested to Baku that it could overcome the impasse through direct negotiations with Stepanakert authorities. Azerbaijan has indicated that, despite reservations, it will consider this option, although, given the blockade, no progress has been made in that direction.

The authors of the report pay special attention to the EU observation mission to be deployed in Armenia and remind that the proposal to send OSCE observers was not approved by Baku.

The idea of a longer-term OSCE mission gained support, especially in the US and France. As the OSCE brings together all the major European actors, French officials told the Crisis Group that they see a bigger role for the OSCE as a way to avoid tensions between Western states and Moscow that the EU mission could cause.

The report notes that EU diplomats had started preliminary talks with Azerbaijani officials, but these were disrupted by the crisis over the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

Azerbiajan's claim against Armenia is in the International Court for Justice 

With the blockade of the only road connecting Artsakh to the outside world for more than a month and a half, Baku today demands the International Court of Justice to oblige Armenia to stop the "mining of Azerbaijani territories" and the use of Lachin road to "transport mines" to Karabakh. Azerbaijan's representative Elnur Mammadov in his speech at the UN court demanded an urgent measure against Armenia, claiming that he has new facts.

"Azerbaijan has new evidence that Armenia continues to mine Azerbaijani territories. In 2021, more than 2700 mines of Armenian production were found in Azerbaijan. More than half of those mines were found in civilian areas. Explosive traps were found in the houses, the purpose of which is to kill or maim the Azerbaijanis who want to return home," he stated.

Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's representative for international legal affairs in the International Court of Justice, responded to Azerbaijan's false claims that Armenia is moving mines through the Lachin Corridor and placing them near settlements.

Yeghishe Kirakosyan mentioned that Baku collected these mines from the sovereign territory of Armenia during the discussion of the claim presented by Azerbaijan against Armenia at the UN International Court of Justice.

According to him, Azerbaijan's demand is another obvious attempt to divert attention from its misdeeds. Kirakosyan emphasized that Azerbaijan submitted its petition only 6 days after Armenia's petition, despite the fact that most of its alleged evidence has been in its possession for months.

"As the legal advisers have shown, Azerbaijan's request for interim measures is an insincere and unrealistic request. It is designed to create a false impression of equality. Based on the oral presentations, Armenia respectfully asks the Court to completely reject Azerbaijan's request for interim measures," Kirakosyan said.

Prime Minister Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the PM's office reports.

Pashinyan referred to the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor and highlighted the importance of the implementation of the necessary steps by Russia to overcome it.

In this context, reference was made to the activities of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Other News 

• Negotiations on resuming unimpeded traffic on the Stepanakert-Goris road are going on.

• Çavuşoğlu expressed hope that Armenia will be able to join regional programs.